


Moments

by Solitude_Rising



Category: She-Ra and the Princesses of Power (2018)
Genre: Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Canon Compliant, F/M, Platonic Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-17
Updated: 2019-11-04
Packaged: 2020-12-21 05:42:28
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 10
Words: 16,011
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21069815
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Solitude_Rising/pseuds/Solitude_Rising
Summary: A series of short ficlets focusing on Entrapta and Hordak's developing relationship. Set during or between episodes throughout Seasons 1 to 3. Sweet moments and subtle romantic tension and build-up, some introspection and angst.COMPLETE. Final chapter turns dark as Hordak faces his deepest fears.





	1. Left Behind

**Author's Note:**

> Hi all! I'm new to AO3. Recently been hooked onto She-Ra and the Princesses of Power and been checking out a lot of great fanworks from writers here, so I've decided to join in! This first fic chapter takes place during season 1, episode 9 as the princesses make their escape from the Fright Zone during their mission to rescue Princess Glimmer. In the moments after Entrapta is separated from the group, what happens to her?

The last chamber door slid open. The open air awaited.

“We made it. This way to the vehicle bay,” Seahawk declared.

They had made it! They had escaped!

“Wait! Emily!”

They turned at Entrapta’s raised voice and saw her running back into the chamber towards the robot she called ‘Emily’, who was still attached by a cord to the socket in the wall.

“Entrapta! Nooo!” Perfuma’s hand reached out in vain as she cried out.

The princesses and sea captain watched in horror as the Princess of Dryl was cut away from their line of sight by the chamber door slamming shut and green flames erupting out of the door. 

It was too late. She was gone.

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Entrapta saw the fear-stricken faces of the other princesses looking back at her before the chamber door slammed shut in front of her, separating them. Quickly, she turned back to her new robot friend Emily and yanked her trapped power cord out of the socket in the wall, freeing her. Emily beeped an acknowledgement.

Suddenly, green flames spewed from the other side of the chamber toward them. Before Entrapta could blink, Emily had stepped in front her, shielding her from the direct path of the green flames. The robot’s round metal body took the brunt of the fire. In the precious moments her robot friend had given her, Entrapta looked up to the ceiling where air vent ducts ran across. An escape route!

“I’m going up!” Entrapta yelled.

Her unusually long prehensile lilac hair reached up to a vent opening and hooked onto a grilled lid covering it. Like a whip, her hair strands pulled the lid off and lifted her in one swift motion into the safety of the air vent ducts. She looked down again to see nothing but green fire filling the chamber.

“Emily!” Entrapta cried out.

The green flames began to shrink and die away and Entrapta saw Emily still standing, her armour singed from the intense heat, but still operational. The robot turned up to Entrapta and raised a leg to wave at her.

“You’re okay!” Entrapta cried in relief.

Emily’s raised leg crackled and jerked involuntarily.

“Hmm. Except for that wonky leg.” Entrapta touched her chin thoughtfully. “I’ll have to check the extent of your damage as soon as we get out of here.”

Entrapta’s gaze returned to the closed chamber door that had cut her off from the others. As if reciprocating her mistress’ thoughts, Emily produced a low, extended beep.

“They’ll come back for me,” Entrapta insisted. “They’re my friends. I’m sure they will.”

An uncertain expression crossed the long-haired princess’ face momentarily, then it disappeared and she perked up.

“We just have to wait for them!” she declared, matter-of-factly. “If we simply remain around this location, they’re sure to find us!” She clapped her hands together. “I can stay hidden in these air vents and you can keep watch for them in the corridors!”

Emily beeped an affirmative.

“It shouldn’t take them too long.” Entrapta attempted a smile.

There came the sounds of loud voices and running footsteps approaching from behind the other closed chamber door. Horde soldiers. Entrapta retreated further into the air vent duct and disappeared into its shadows.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

She-Ra scanned the faces present on the flying skiff as the princesses and their male companions made their escape from the Fright Zone. She froze when she did not see one member of their group.

“Wait, where’s Entrapta?”

Her eyes fell on Bow as he spoke slowly.

“Entrapta didn’t make it.”

A pause.

“What do you mean?” the golden-haired warrior princess asked carefully.

A longer, heavier pause. Eyes became wet.

“She’s gone,” Mermista repeated, turning away.

“W…Well then, we have to go back for her!” She-Ra said quickly.

“No, she’s…she’s really gone.” Bow looked down at the floor as he said it.

The eight-foot tall warrior princess collapsed to her knees and shrunk as she transformed. In her place kneeled a despairing Adora, the gravity of the realisation hitting her. 

They had lost one of their own.


	2. Impressions

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hordak's first meeting with Entrapta. What was his initial impression of her?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Takes place right after the end of season 1, episode 13, when Hordak appoints Catra as his new Second-in-Command in the company of both Scorpia and Entrapta. This appears to be Entrapta’s first meeting with Hordak in person and I wanted to explore this a little further. Enjoy!

Catra was making a conscious effort to present herself confidently as she ascended the stairs leading up to Hordak seated on his throne. On either side of her, she was flanked by Scorpia and Entrapta. From his seat of power, the Lord of the Horde glared down at the approaching three women. They halted before him with Catra standing in front.

“Force Captain,” Hordak uttered at Catra, “it appears your experiment…was a failure.” His sharp talons tapped the armrests of his seat.

Catra tensed but held her composure and prepared to respond when...

“On the contrary!” Entrapta, seated on a cushion of her hair, suddenly piped up from behind Catra. “The experiment was a huge success! I know more about First One’s Tech than ever. **This is just the beginning**.” The last sentence was emphatically declared and the long-haired princess pumped her arm up into the air in excitement.

Hordak’s gaze shifted to the energetic princess.

“I got us closer to Brightmoon than anyone ever has,” Catra insisted, drawing Hordak’s attention back to her, “not to mention the Whispering Woods is still in ruins. Etheria is ours for the taking.”

Hordak rose from his seat and stepped forward, looking down imposingly at Catra who stood rigid. Behind her, Scorpia instinctively shrank back slightly. Entrapta, however, simply continued to watch the unfolding scene with interest.

“Very well, Force Captain Catra,” Hordak uttered after a heavy pause. “You will have other chances to prove your worth to me as my Second-in-Command.”

Catra’s lips slid up slightly, pleased. She glanced back at Scorpia then Entrapta on either side of her before returning her gaze forward to Hordak. At last. This was what she had striven to achieve. Finally, she was being given the recognition she deserved, rising now to the highest position a Horde soldier could hope to aspire to and usurping Shadow Weaver in the process. Everything was perfect and she was ready to seize the moment with both clawed hands.

“Thank you, Lord Hordak,” Catra replied, bowing her head. “I won’t fail you.”

“Let us hope that you perform better than your predecessor,” Hordak returned warningly. “I should hate to see you join Shadow Weaver in disgrace and uselessness.”

Catra nodded cautiously. Then her eyes followed Hordak as his attention swept back towards Entrapta. Wordlessly, he moved away from Catra and came to stop in front of the long-haired princess, towering over her. Catra held her breath, unsure of how the Lord of the Horde would react to her prisoner-turned-ally. He had yet to meet her in person. When he had discovered their plans to use the Black Garnet Runestone to throw Etheria into disarray and take over Brightmoon courtesy of his spy Imp, he had only appeared to them on screens to express his interest in Entrapta’s theories and give their plan his blessing to be executed.

This was the first time Hordak was meeting Entrapta in the flesh since her capture in the Fright Zone. He seemed to study her for a moment, suspicious perhaps. Entrapta, wide-eyed, blinked back up at him, smiling innocently, ignorant of the potential danger. One of her long twin tails lifted and formed the shape of a hand, waving at him. Hordak did not react.

“You are not the first ‘**princess**’ to join the Horde’s ranks, Entrapta of Dryl,” he intoned, his voice sharpening at the word ‘princess’. He threw a brief glance at Scorpia, causing the large, heavily-armoured woman to nod nervously. Hordak ignored her and continued, “I am aware that you were formerly with the Princess Alliance and of how you came to be here in the Fright Zone after a botched infiltration by the Princesses.”

He paused, watching Entrapta’s expression. If he had expected to see fear, he would be disappointed as the small princess simply stared up at him as if in fascination. Hordak’s eyebrows rose in curiosity. Was she naïve or fearless? “I am also aware however that you have proven yourself an asset in improving the Horde’s technology and weaponry and in hacking the Black Garnet Runestone to further our progress against Brightmoon.”

He leaned down closer to her, overshadowing her. “Tell me, **princess**, why do you wish to remain in the Horde?”

Entrapta’s eyes suddenly lit up and she threw both her arms and her twin hair tails out at her sides, causing both Catra and Scorpia to jerk back in surprise and Hordak to lean back to avoid being hit by her long hair.

“Isn’t it obvious?” she exclaimed. “Thanks to Horde technology and resources, I’ve made greater strides in my research and experimentation here in the Fright Zone than ever before! I’ve collected so much more data and proven my theories about the connection between the Runestones and Etheria!” She had now raised herself higher on her long lilac hair, almost matching Hordak’s height. Her gloved hands were gripped in anticipation by the sides of her chest.

Hordak regarded her thoughtfully. Her improvements to The Horde’s technology and weaponry had been noteworthy. And her theory about the connection between Etheria’s Runestones had been correct and yielded interesting results in destabilising the planet’s balance. Clearly, she had useful knowledge and skills to offer. But this princess was not motivated by the promise of prizes or rewards or a desire for revenge against the ones who had abandoned her. She was apparently driven by purely scientific interests. She offered herself to the Horde freely and with no expectation of gaining anything other than resources to fuel her scientific pursuits. And what’s more, she appeared entirely upfront about it. Hordak detected no attempt from her to conceal her intentions. Here was a woman, he realised, who seemed to value knowledge and learning above all else. Unusual, but potentially highly advantageous for the Horde. His new Second-in-Command had acquired a rare asset in this princess.

He extended a sweeping palm to her. “Then I welcome you to The Horde, Princess Entrapta of Dryl. You have my permission to roam at will around the Fright Zone and continue having free reign over all Horde technology in the interests of strengthening it.”

Entrapta grinned gleefully and clapped her hands rapidly. “This is going to be great! I’ve got a ton more ideas for improving the Fright Zone’s systems and weapons capabilities!”

Hordak nodded in approval then looked back to his newly appointed Second-in-Command. “Force Captain Catra, you may retain Entrapta under your jurisdiction and you will see to it that all her needs are met.”

Catra released a breath she did not realise she had been holding whilst tensely watching the exchange between Hordak and Entrapta. “Yes, Lord Hordak.”

Hordak turned around, returning to his throne.

“I will expect reports on your progress in conquering Brightmoon and the rest of Etheria soon. Dismissed.” He waved his hand to signal the end of the meeting.

Catra, Scorpia and Entrapta turned and began descending the stairs. Resting his head on an upturned fist, Hordak’s sharp ears picked up Entrapta’s hushed voice as she began chattering at Catra and Scorpia.

“Blanched skin pigmentation, angular bat-like ears and bio-luminous eyes, he’s faaascinating!” he heard her say in an awed tone. Catra shushed her as they exited the throne room, glancing back nervously at Hordak.

Hordak touched his chin thoughtfully. Perhaps there was more to this small princess than met the eye.


	3. Why I Stay

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After speaking briefly with Glimmer and Bow over a screen, Entrapta ponders their reactions and her own reasons for staying with the Horde.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for all the kudos and comments! This one takes place after episode 2 of season 2, after Glimmer and Bow discover from Entrapta herself that she is a willing accomplice to the Horde. How does Entrapta’s reasoning behind this choice work? An attempt to delve into her ‘justification’ for her actions. Enjoy!

Entrapta had just seen her old friends, Bow and Glimmer, again, but they had not been happy…with her, or more specifically, her choice to remain with the Horde.

She was in her new lab in the Fright Zone. The transfer of all her belongings from Dryl had been completed and she was now arranging boxes and items in her room to her liking. She pulled open a large metal crate with her hair and looked into its contents: metal parts and pieces she had accumulated for building her robots out of back at home in Dryl. They would be useful for building new drones for the Horde now.

She was working for the Horde, willingly. It was true. They had never had to threaten her or give her anything to obtain her assistance. She had not been pressured or bullied or made any promises or offered any rewards for her help. She had given them valuable information, shared her knowledge of First Ones’ Tech and improved their technology and systems exponentially entirely freely.

Bow and Glimmer had seemed upset at this. They had seemed shocked and disappointed when she saw them briefly through a camera screen courtesy of Catra. Entrapta processed this. Why were they like this? They seemed to take her choice to remain in the Fright Zone personally. But it wasn’t personal. It was a simple logical choice. Quite understandable really, at least to her.

Here in the Fright Zone, she had made more progress in her scientific research and experiments than ever before on her own or with the Princess Alliance. She had created the most advanced robot drones she had ever made with practical applications in the field, improved power efficiency in the Fright Zone’s systems, upgraded their technology and, significantly, had proven the connection between all the Runestones of Etheria and discovered a way to access the hidden network of the planet, an impossible feat achieved by no other. Her progress and findings had massive implications for development and the future of Etheria. Could they not see that she was breaking the barriers of known science and opening up new worlds of possibility for science and magic from within the Horde?

She had picked up a spare part from within the metal crate and was inspecting it now. After a moment, she tossed it into another container with other spare parts that she had organised.

Yes, she was a princess and, yes, she had been one of them, but the truth was: The Princess Alliance, The Rebellion, The Horde, none of these things meant much to her. They were just names that other people used to describe sides in a meaningless war on their world. But there were bigger and more important things than the fighting to discover on Etheria! Her scientific progress and discoveries were more important and bigger than anything else! Other people just couldn’t seem to see it like she did. Adora, Bow, Glimmer and the other princesses were so trapped in their own narrow views and loyalties to and divisions between one another that they couldn’t see the greater picture of the world around them. Only she could. Only she had the capacity.

She bore them no ill will, the other princesses, even though they had left her behind in the Fright Zone. She had been hurt by that, admittedly, but she got over it, didn’t take it personally. Surely, they would get over her choice to remain with the Horde eventually too. She didn’t hate them. They shouldn’t hate her either. It wasn’t like she was hurting them directly. She had no desire for that. They just had to understand that she had something more important to pursue and the Horde were enabling her to do that, to achieve her fullest potential as a scientist.

She looked up from organising her spare parts and clapped her hands to attract her robot drone helper, Emily. The friendly drone instantly stumbled messily over to its mistress, beeping in acknowledgement. Entrapta petted its armoured head.

“Mind putting these parts with the others?” she requested with a smile.

Emily mimicked a nod and picked up the container of separated spare parts with two of its metal legs, lifting it on top of its domed head and carrying it to another side of the room. Entrapta watched her robot helper trundle noisily away thoughtfully.

The hurt faces of Bow and Glimmer echoed in her mind. She sighed. Why did human emotions have to be so complicated? Why did everyone always seem to take things so personally and irrationally? Why did humans have to make things difficult with moral codes? Why did people have to judge everything through simplistic polar concepts of good and bad and insist on being on the side of one or the other? Why were people so poor at communicating clearly with one another? Why couldn’t they be more straightforward and scientific? Why couldn’t people just be upfront and tell each other directly what they meant and wanted? There was too much meaning that people conveyed subtly and indirectly to one another, and an expectation of others to simply understand everything meant by an individual without that person saying what it was. It was illogical.

Humans were strange. She had concluded that a long time ago. And they thought she was strange too. The quirky, tech-obsessed, isolated Princess of Dryl that trapped herself within her castle maze. Unlike the other princesses, she was what they called ‘weird’, ‘strange’, ‘creepy’, ‘a freak’…She didn’t have many friends, no close ones, save for her robots. Being asked to join The Princess Alliance had seemed a momentous opportunity to make new human connections, a chance to make friends, real friends. But that hadn’t turned out so well. They had left her behind in the Fright Zone after all.

She picked up a long piece of metal covering from the crate and, with her long hair, tested it over the exposed wires of an unattached robot limb lying on a table beside her. It seemed to fit.

Catra had been right: she wasn’t like the other princesses, never had been. She was...different. But here in the Horde, she seemed to fit in better. Her ‘weird’ ways were welcomed, her scientific experiments were encouraged. She felt she ‘belonged’ better here. Catra and Scorpia had been friendly and they, like her, were misfits and rejects in their own ways too. And Hordak had appreciated her improvements to The Horde’s technology and had been interested in her ideas and theories and given them full support. He had obviously understood what she talked about. He was intelligent and a fascinating biological specimen. She’d never seen another being like him on Etheria before. She was among relatable and similar people now at least. Though Catra and Scorpia weren’t quite able to follow everything she talked about, they at least seemed to like listening to her. She wasn’t such a freak here.

Entrapta flipped her welding mask down over her face and picked up a blow torch from the table, turned on the flame and began welding the piece of metal covering onto the robot limb.

She wouldn’t dwell on her friends, past and present, any longer. It was not productive. She would continue her work here in the Fright Zone without regrets, here where she was better accepted even if still not fully understood. Here, she would go further than she ever had before. Her progress would be unstoppable. Science would win.


	4. Connection

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After Entrapta invades his Sanctum, Hordak finds out that they have some things in common.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Takes place after episode 3 of season 2. After accepting Entrapta’s assistance on his portal work, Hordak begins to research the princess and finds an unlikely parallel in her. I wanted to develop a moment in their initial encounters when Hordak begins to connect with Entrapta. Enjoy!

-Kingdom of Dryl, Entry #3: Castle situated on mountainside, houses an extensive maze network embedded with numerous traps. Navigation impossible without assistance. Heavily staffed by advanced automatons and a minimal number of human workers serving the ruler of the kingdom, Princess Entrapta of Dryl. Main functional rooms, including the living quarters and laboratory of the Princess of Dryl are concealed within the maze. Maze structure and automatons appear to have been designed by the Princess of Dryl herself. Castle is self-sufficient and self-powered by her technology. Maze functions as a complex form of defence to disorient and entrap intruders, but may also have served to shield the Princess from the outside world given her reported isolated nature. Pictorial evidence within the castle suggests that the Princess may have had an atypical childhood, growing up with robots as her primary caregivers and companions. Likely that she may have rarely or never ventured beyond her castle walls until joining the Rebellion.-

Hordak lowered the data pad he was reading from.

_‘She is not like the other Princesses’_, he mused internally to himself.

Was that why she chose to stay in the Fright Zone? Because she didn’t ‘fit in’ anywhere else?

_‘She is different…’_

Her lack of social understanding, her driven pursuit of scientific knowledge, even her ‘un-princess-like’ work attire…

He looked to his side and caught his pale, thin reflection on a dark computer screen.

_‘…abnormal...’_

She had been left behind by the other Princesses,

he had been discarded by Horde Prime.

_‘…abandoned…’_

The solitary princess trapped in her castle,

the alien warlord stranded on a primitive world. 

_‘…alone…’_

He leaned forward heavily on the table.

_‘…like me.’_

His red gaze shifted to a tool lying next to his hand. It was the six-sided hexdriver that had first drawn Entrapta into his Sanctum.

He had not considered her much at first. Her inventions and upgrades to The Horde’s technology and weaponry had been useful, that was all that had mattered about her. He had left her as Catra’s charge after his first meeting with her, a potentially useful asset that his newly appointed Second-in-Command had acquired. Catra had her under control. Nothing he had to be troubled directly with. But then she entered his Sanctum and gained his immediate attention…

He recalled the memory of her unexpected intrusion again. Her appearance had been sudden. He had left his lab in frustration after another failed attempt to activate his power generator, then returned to find her there, kneeling at the base of his inoperative generator, working at its cables, twin lilac hair tails trailing along the floor.

He had not been pleased at the violation of his privacy. He had initially exploded in fury at her presence, roared at her to get out, but she had been unfazed by his anger, more concerned with finishing her adjustments to his power generator. Her unusual reactions had taken him aback. The audacity of this small woman had stunned him. At no point had she showed fear of him. She talked to him as if she were his equal, demanding that he ‘tell her everything’. He had not been talked to by anyone in this way for a long time. How excited she had been at the prospect of helping him build a portal, she had begged for it, and his revelation of the existence of other planets had enthralled her, he saw it in her animated eyes. Unlike everyone else around him, she did not tremble in fear of him, acquiesce to his demands or vie for his favour. It was…different, and now with hindsight, he realised, refreshing.

And of course, incredibly, she had gotten his power generator to function after his failed attempts at it.

Silently, he admitted to himself that he had been impressed enough by her intelligence and technological prowess to accept her plea to be allowed to aid him in building his interdimensional portal. He had been intrigued enough by her lack of fear, her intense drive for the pursuit of scientific knowledge. Never had he encountered another quite like her before.

Imp, his winged spy creature, perched on the edge of the table, looked from the hexdriver on the table up to his brooding master. The creature’s little round head tilted curiously to the side. He had noticed his master staring at the tool for a while. His mouth opened and played a recording from the previous day.

It was of Entrapta’s voice: 

_“I’ve never had a lab partner before.”_

Hordak glared at his small creature.

“She is useful. Nothing more,” he hissed.

Imp’s mouth closed and he flashed a devious smirk before scurrying off the table.

Hordak sighed.

“HORDAK!”

The sudden cry startled the Horde leader and he almost dropped the data pad he was still holding. Turning quickly, he recomposed himself and discreetly laid the data pad face-down on the table behind him.

Two masses of lilac-coloured hair emerged from an air vent opening hanging from the ceiling, followed by the head of the small princess they were attached to.

“Great news!” she announced. “I’ve been working on boosting the range of our scanners to detect more First Ones’ Tech signals!”

Entrapta lowered herself to the floor with her lilac hair tails.

“I just need to adjust them to search for higher-energy output Tech that will power the portal! I also brought a First Ones’ crystal sample that we can use to run preliminary tests on your power generator!”

She fished into a side pocket in her coverall bottoms with her hair and pulled out a white crystal shard emanating a soft pulsing aura.

“If we can successfully merge this crystal with the power generator to produce a higher voltage, then we can proceed to attempt integrating other First Ones’ Tech into a larger portal generator!”

Her hair reached forward and dropped the glowing white crystal shard into Hordak’s hands. He lifted it up, inspecting it carefully.

“Where did this originate from?” he asked.

“The mines in Dryl,” Entrapta answered. “I had it brought here along with all my other old lab equipment and belongings.”

Hordak looked back at Entrapta.

“You have been excavating First One’s Tech in your kingdom?” he inquired with a tone of interest.

“Yes, not a huge amount and mostly small pieces, but my miners recovered enough for my study and experimentation over the past few years.”

Entrapta paused and gazed at the floor, smiling, a faraway look in her eyes.

“That’s how I first learnt to integrate First One’s Tech into machinery. Combining archaic and modern technologies, developing my theories about the link between magic and science…It’s the most interesting subject I’ve ever researched. It’s my passion.”

Then she looked back at Hordak, her magnificent magenta eyes sparkling, a smile spreading across her lips.

“And now, I’m here in the Fright Zone,” she said happily, “taking my experiments to the next level, working with you on building a portal that could enable interplanetary travel. This might be the most exciting scientific endeavour Etheria has ever seen!”

Hordak regarded her with something akin to...admiration. Though she displayed unusual behavioural quirks, a remarkable lack of self-preservation instincts and no discernable allegiance or sense of morality, she was capable, resourceful, pioneering, brilliant, passionate…Her scientific curiosity and enthusiasm were unparalleled and she had made discoveries that were potentially world-changing, yet she remained unrecognised. She was unlike any other Etherian that he had encountered in mind, behaviour and expertise. There was evidently more to her than her reputation as the strange, lonely princess, so much more. Had anyone truly understood what she was capable of?

As if reading his thoughts, Entrapta said quietly, appreciatively, “It’s nice to have someone to share your passion with.”

Her smile seemed to enhance the curves of her face, the light blush in her cheeks…

Hordak had to look away, suddenly uncomfortable under her captivating gaze, suddenly very aware of his inadequacies, as if she might see through him and see all his defects.

Entrapta did not seem to notice the Horde’s leader’s discomfort though and she suddenly lifted herself off the floor with her hair and brought herself closer to him. His eyes widened at her proximity.

“If we’re going to be lab partners, we should start sharing information and resources!” she said brightly.

Her gloved fingers lowered onto the white crystal shard in Hordak’s hand. He had almost forgotten he was still holding it. Delicately, she picked it up, her fingers trailing lightly across his longer ones as she brought her hand away. Hordak’s hand fell back to his side limply, twitching slightly.

“Tell me everything you know about portals and I’ll tell you everything I know about First Ones’ Tech!”

She held up the crystal shard for emphasis as she spoke. Its soft white glow illuminated her face and neck, halo-like. To Hordak, it appeared as if light was radiating from within her.

“So, shall we begin sharing?” she asked expectantly.

Hordak reached for the data pad that he had left on his work table earlier and came to stand beside Entrapta.

“Very well,” he replied, lowering the data pad’s screen to Entrapta’s level so that she could see it as well.

Entrapta formed a seat out of her long hair and settled into it, cross-legged. She was almost shoulder to shoulder with Hordak as she leaned forward eagerly to study the information displayed on the screen before them. Hordak looked down at her with the faintest of smiles, then began to explain the information to her.

“The science of portals is known only to a few advanced races across the Universe. Their construction and use, not widespread…”

As they listened, read and talked to one another, the Horde leader inexplicably felt himself being drawn to the small, long-haired princess at his side. Here was someone who did not fear him, who did not hesitate to share her knowledge, and who was his equal in mind, passion and ambitions.

He was becoming…accustomed to this unusual princess. Perhaps, he vaguely thought, he was falling into her trap…but it did not seem to matter. He found that he rather _liked_ her.


	5. Return

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Catra and her squad return from their mission to the arctic Northern Reach. Despite losing Adora and Entrapta's virus-spreading First Ones' disc, they have not returned empty-handed. Catra is pretty sure the mission was not a complete failure, right?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Takes place right after episode 5 of season 2 when Catra, Scorpia and Entrapta return from the arctic Northern Reach with a new piece of First Ones’ Tech. I wanted to explore the possible consequences of Catra’s poor decisions and actions during that episode. Enjoy!

The mission to the Northern Reach had not been a complete failure. Despite losing Adora, her Sword of Power and Entrapta’s virus-spreading First One’s disc, Entrapta had managed to retrieve a large First One’s Tech disc. Fortunate indeed, since Catra had dreaded what might have been the consequences had they returned to Lord Hordak empty-handed.

It was with this certainty of knowledge that the feline female entered Hordak’s Sanctum, along with Scorpia and Entrapta on either side of her. Entrapta was rolling the huge First Ones’ Tech disc from their mission like a giant wheel with her long hair. The three women came to a halt before the shadowy form of Hordak and bowed.

Hordak emerged from the shadows, apparently having been waiting for them, his hands crossed behind his back. As he slowly approached them, Catra began to address him.

“Lord Hordak, we have successfully returned from the Northern Reach with First Ones’ Tech…”

Catra trailed off when Hordak simply walked past her as if she had said nothing and instead made his way over to Entrapta with the large Tech disc held by her hair.

“You do not need to stand on ceremony for me, Entrapta,” he intoned, speaking as if Catra and Scorpia were not there.

His red gaze swept over her from head to toe, as if checking her.

“I trust you did not sustain any injuries from the mission?” he queried.

Catra and Scorpia looked at one another then back at Hordak and Entrapta.

“I’m perfectly fine, Hordak,” Entrapta answered factually. “And as you can see, I found the First Ones’ Tech that we were looking for!” She stroked the large disc with a hand. “Isn’t it impressive? It’ll definitely provide more than enough power for your portal technology!”

Hordak took one look at the large First Ones’ Tech disc and nodded.

“You have done well, Entrapta.”

Entrapta glanced back at Catra and Scorpia.

“I couldn’t have made it to the Northern Reach without Catra and Scorpia,” she said smiling at them.

Hordak looked back at the other two women. Something in his expression seemed less hospitable.

“Yes,” he stated flatly, “I suppose you are right.”

He looked at Scorpia suddenly.

“Force Captain Scorpia, help Entrapta offload the Tech, then escort her back to her room.”

The large armoured woman saluted and nodded.

“Right away, Lord Hordak,” she responded immediately.

Quickly, she marched over to Entrapta and took the First Ones’ Tech disc from her, rolling it away carefully with her large pincer claws.

Hordak’s attention returned to Entrapta who was looking at him questioningly.

“You must be tired from the mission. You will rest for the reminder of the day. We can continue our work tomorrow.”

“I don’t think that’s necessary, Hordak,” Entrapta began, “I need to start analysing the Tech we brought back and I feel perfectly…”

“I insist,” Hordak interrupted.

He took a step toward her and gently, but firmly, laid his hand over her shoulder. Entrapta glanced at his hand as he guided her in the direction of the Sanctum doors.

Scorpia returned and, as she took Entrapta from Hordak and ushered her toward the doors, Hordak spoke again: “And Force Captain Scorpia, after you have seen Entrapta to her room, you may also have the rest of the day to recuperate.”

“Er, thank you, Lord Hordak, Sir!” Scorpia responded, looking slightly puzzled, but she did not question it further.

Scorpia and Entrapta both glanced back over their shoulders at Catra as the doors slid open and they exited.

As soon as they were gone, Hordak turned back to Catra. His eyes narrowed. Catra tensed.

“So Force Captain Catra, the mission was a success you say.”

“Yes, Lord Hordak, as Entrapta has explained…”

“And there were no disruptions whilst you were out there?”

Catra shifted nervously.

“Minor issues. Nothing major. We had everything under control.”

“So, you did not encounter members of the Rebellion out in the Northern Reach?” Hordak uttered.

Catra froze and her eyes widened. How did he know?

“Well, we…,” she stuttered.

“You did not take a First Ones’ disc from Entrapta’s belongings and use it for your own purposes, resulting in its loss?”

Hordak’s tone grew dangerous as he advanced on Catra.

“You did not put your own personal agenda before the lives of your team?”

His shadow covered Catra now, his red eyes burning into her, his voice rising.

**“You did not expose Entrapta to harm and capture by the Rebellion?”**

Hordak almost bellowed the last sentence.

**“Do you have any idea how dire the consequences would be if Entrapta were to fall back into the hands of the Rebellion?!”** he snarled.

Catra stepped back fearfully.

“Lord Hordak, I…,” she began.

“SILENCE!” he snapped, causing Catra to flinch and raise her arms instinctively. “I know that if not for Force Captain Scorpia’s intervention, none of you may have returned! Did you think I wouldn’t know what transpired? Did you think that I did not have eyes and ears recording your every move at all times?”

The pupils of Catra’s eyes had shrunk to dots. They had been monitored out in the Northern Reach, she realised with horror.

“Lord Hordak, forgive me…,” she said in a shrinking voice.

“Pathetic!” he sneered. “You ask for forgiveness when it is clear that you were severely compromised and inadequate during this mission! I should be punishing you for your incompetence!”

He raised a fisted arm up as if to strike down at his Second-in-Command, but it remained stationary in the air.

“The only reason I am not, is due entirely to the fact that, thanks to Entrapta, you did not return from your mission empty-handed and thus have not failed.”

His arm slowly lowered and he seemed to steady his heavy breathing.

“Make no mistake that you are indebted to your teammates for your survival and avoidance of punishment this time, Force Captain Catra. But clearly, you are incapable of keeping Entrapta safe...”

He turned his back to Catra and crossed his hands behind himself again.

“She is too valuable an asset for us to lose. So, from now on, she will no longer be deployed in field missions with you and Force Captain Scorpia. Instead, she will remain here in the Fright Zone to assist me in my work.”

“But Lord Hordak…,” Catra protested.

Hordak threw a warning glance back at Catra over his shoulder.

“Tread carefully, Force Captain Catra. My patience is wearing thin. You remember the definition of ‘failure’, do you not?”

“Yes…Lord Hordak,” Catra hoarsely replied, her clawed hands clenching at her sides.

“Make sure you do not ‘fail’.”

Hordak threw up a hand.

“Now **get out**!”

Catra turned around and had to control herself from running out the door. Once she was outside of the Sanctum, she took several deep breaths to calm herself. Her expression hardened and her teeth gritted.

Troubled thoughts ran through her mind. She was losing Hordak’s confidence and favour now. And who was to blame? Entrapta came to mind. Hordak had obviously grown too attached to her, too dependent on her. He was increasingly keeping her locked up in his Sanctum, ignoring Catra in favour of her, placing her higher in value, listening to her instead of Catra…This angered Catra immeasurably. It wasn’t right! She was Hordak’s Second-in-Command! Why didn’t he trust her more? After everything she had done for him, all her efforts and risks she had taken to bring the Horde closer to defeating the Rebellion than ever before, and he did not seem to recognise any of it! And to add insult to injury, it was Entrapta that he let into his Sanctum, it was her that he let in on his true plans, it was her that he trusted.

_“It should have been me at Hordak’s side!”_ Catra thought angrily.

Jealousy was not always green-eyed. In this instance, she had one yellow and one blue eye, and the ears and fur of a cat. Catra was the one that had captured and recruited Entrapta to their side! Entrapta was her subordinate! It was an insult that the ‘freak’ princess had stolen the position of trust with Hordak that should rightfully have been hers! Just because she was good with tech! But Entrapta hadn’t led soldiers into battle and risked her life on the field countless times like she had! It just wasn’t fair! She was the one that deserved recognition from Hordak!

Catra fumed and skulked down the corridors of the Fright Zone and came to the door of Entrapta’s room. She glared hard at it, raised a clawed hand as if to strike across its surface, but then she closed her hand and pulled it back. With a low growl, she continued walking past the door.

Entrapta was no longer a useful friend to her Catra decided. She had become a nuisance and an obstacle to remove should an opportunity ever present itself. In that moment, Catra found herself wishing that she had never discovered the princess hiding in the air vent ducts, had never coaxed her into joining the Horde…Entrapta was no longer her ally, but a rival.


	6. LUVD

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Entrapta is struck with an idea for a special gift for Hordak.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Set between season 2’s episodes 6 and 7, whilst Entrapta is engaged with integrating the First Ones’ Tech that she, Catra and Scorpia brought back from the Northern Reach. This looks at an origin for the First Ones’ crystal that Entrapta would use later in the creation of Hordak’s new armour. Flashbacks are indicated by _italics_. Enjoy!

The lines of the diagrams on the data screen were blurring. Entrapta looked up from her data pad and rubbed her eyes with her fingers. For the last four hours, she had been working on redesigning the Fright Zone’s power grid to accommodate for the integration of the new First One’s Tech that she, Catra and Scorpia had brought back from the Northern Reach. Her eyes were tired and dry from looking at a screen for so long. She needed to do something else for a while, or take a break.

Laying the data pad down on her table, she stood up and lazily walked over to her bed on the other side of her room. It was just a standard bed used by all the Horde soldiers, not as soft and spacious as her old bed back home in Dryl, but with the addition of some of her cushions and soft toys from home she had managed to make it comfortable and familiar enough for herself.

She flung herself onto the mattress and rolled over onto her back, looking up at the dark ceiling. She lay sprawled, arms and legs spread apart and her trailing lilac hair hanging limply over the sides of the bed. She lay still and her mind wandered...

…It wandered to Adora, Glimmer and Bow and the other princesses who had left her behind in the Fright Zone…It wandered to Catra and Scorpia, her new friends here in the Fright Zone, but Catra had seemed to be avoiding her recently, ever since she had started working with Hordak…

Her thoughts paused on him, her new lab partner, the only lab partner she’d ever had… Absently, her hair reached for something from a bedside table and brought it above her. It was the six-sided hexdriver from Hordak’s Sanctum. Lightly, she ran a gloved fingertip down its length, recalling how she had obtained it…

_She moved to leave through the Sanctum doors, then stopped and turned around. Hordak’s back was turned to her. She walked back toward him._

_“Oops! Almost forgot!” she said._

_As she approached him, she held out her hands, holding up the six-sided hexdriver._

_“Thanks for the loan again,” she said with a smile._

_Hordak glanced over his shoulder at her._

_“Keep it. You have…earned it,” he said in a quiet voice._

_His head turned away from her again._

_“Really?” she asked. “You’re giving it to me?”_

_“Yes. It is yours, Entrapta.” He did not look at her again as he said it._

_It did not matter. She smiled to herself as she looked down at the tool lovingly and drew it into her chest._

_“Thank you so much, Hordak.” She said it with sincerity._

_She turned and headed back to the doors. As they opened, she paused and looked back at Hordak, then happily gazed down again at the hexdriver, clutching it tighter in her hands before exiting the Sanctum._

_He had given her the six-sided hexdriver as a reward for her assistance, and she cherished it._

Entrapta stopped stroking the hexdriver and sat up suddenly, eyes wide. An idea had popped into her head. She jumped off her bed and dashed over to a long metal crate standing against a wall. She kneeled down, punched in a few numbers on a pad and the lid of the crate hissed opened, revealing a collection of small First Ones’ crystals of varying shapes and colours. Some of them had been brought over from Dryl, some she had acquired since joining the Horde. She scanned them and settled on a fuchsia-coloured diamond-shaped crystal, lifting it out carefully with her hair tips. 

She raised the diamond-shaped crystal up and inspected it carefully. She had found this one in the mines of Dryl. It had struck her because of its deep pinkish purple colour, a colour that she identified with. Though it contained no evident First Ones’ code on it, she knew from prior testing that it was a power crystal containing a greater amount of energy than its compact size would suggest. 

As she turned the fuchsia crystal slowly above her face, it sparkled in the light of the room, resembling a… 

_“…star?”_

_Hordak looked at her._

_“What does one look like?” she asked, looking upward, as if she could see through the ceiling of the Sanctum and observe the sky beyond. “There are references to ‘stars’ in a number of First Ones’ artifacts. They speak of star formations that can be seen in the skies at night.” She brought her wistful gaze back down upon her lab partner once again. “Have you seen them when you visited other planets, Hordak?”_

_He scoffed lightly. “Of course I have. Stars are visible in the night skies of most planets. The dark void of Space is filled with them, burning balls of matter and gases emitting heat and light.”_

_Entrapta’s eyes lit up._

_“It would be incredible to see them,” she breathed._

_Hordak regarded her quietly for a moment._

_“There is a way,” he said finally._

_He gestured for her to follow him and he led her to a computer screen. Tapping at the control console, he brought up a photographic image of countless lights dotted across a dark expanse._

_Entrapta emitted a sound of wonder as she lifted herself closer to the screen on her hair. “Wooooow! Are these…?”_

_“Stars, yes,” Hordak replied, tilting his head curiously at the wide-eyed expression on Entrapta’s face._

_He tapped at the controls again and more images of stars came up. Entrapta studied them hungrily. For a while, she said nothing, simply staring at the different images of stars. She had never been still and quiet for this long before. Hordak looked at her again._

_“Entrapta…?” he began cautiously._

_Entrapta looked back at him. Her eyes were shining. She brought herself closer to him on her hair. To his surprise, she reached out and gently placed her hand on top of his._

_“Hordak, thank you…for showing me the stars,” she said happily._

_He did not move under her touch._

He had given her priceless gifts. She had wanted to return the favour, but wasn’t sure how…until now. 

Setting the hexdriver down on the table beside her, Entrapta seated herself at her work table again, holding the fuchsia crystal carefully between her fingers. 

“Emily, get me a 3 point fine beam laser scalpel,” she requested. 

The robot drone trundled off, beeping affirmatively, and returned a few seconds later, dropping the requested tool into its mistress’ hand. 

With a smile, Entrapta pushed her welding mask down over her face and began etching symbols into the crystal with the laser scalpel. 

This would make a fine gift for Hordak at the right time. 


	7. Compromise

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hordak and Entrapta have disagreed over Catra's punishment. Hordak wants her banished to Beast Island, Entrapta wants her searching for First Ones' Tech for them in the Crimson Waste. Why does Hordak change his mind?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Set during season 3, episode 1. Why did Hordak change his mind on Catra’s punishment? Also, guest starring Kyle! Enjoy!

Hordak was pacing back and forth across his Sanctum in irritation.

Catra would be sent to Beast Island as punishment for her failures and lies. He had decided it. It was final. It should have been final. But…but now he was having…second thoughts.

_“Catra has been incredibly successful at getting new tech for us,” Entrapta had rambled frantically at him, keeping pace with his strides as he had attempted to ignore her reasoning, “and this latest signal is coming from here, The Crimson Waste.” She had pulled out a map and pointed at the location. “We don’t have a moment to spare, we NEED Catra!”_

_He had swatted the map out of her hands, growling in frustration. She had responded not with fear, but with glaring back at him indignantly, her ferocity and stance matching his own._

_“It. Is. Meaningless!” he had boomed. “I’m **not** going to squander troops on a lifeless wasteland! This discussion **is over**.”_

_He had heard her sigh in resignation, barely audible; heard her welding mask slide down over her face; heard her dropping the data pad she had been trying to show him on the table with a clatter. He had turned around, only to glimpse her swinging away from him on her hair up into the air vents wordlessly, leaving only her data pad behind on the table._

That should have been the end of it. But Entrapta’s voice kept replaying in his head:

_“…The Crimson Waste”_

_“…we NEED Catra!”_

Catra. His body tensed and he growled in distaste. His feline Force Captain had proven herself woefully incompetent, allowing her former Guardian and his ex-Second in Command, Shadow Weaver, to escape her prison, and worse, she had blatantly lied to him about it, attempting to cover up her error by telling him that she had fulfilled his order to banish Shadow Weaver to Beast Island. She had also kept Entrapta’s presence in the Fright Zone a secret from him until he had found out about her from Imp’s spying. She would have continued to keep Entrapta in secret had he not discovered her. Catra could not be trusted. He had given her enough opportunities to prove herself, but she was lacking.

And yet, Entrapta seemed to look upon her more favourably. She even seemed to consider Catra her friend, though she had recently remarked that she had not heard from Catra in a while, wondered whether she was being ignored by her now. But still, she had certainly argued strongly in the feline woman’s favour, bringing up statistics and figures to quantifiably demonstrate her effectiveness and success as his Second-in-Command. Facts and numbers aside though, why would Entrapta trust her? Because she had been kind to her? Because she had taken her in after her abandonment by the other Princesses? Catra was not the type of person to do anything ‘kind’ without something to be gained though. He had seen through her desperate and pitiful attempts to win his favour and gain his trust since he promoted her to be his new Second-in-Command, all superficial and self-motivated. Perhaps Catra had successfully fooled Entrapta. Entrapta, who was so intelligent and capable, yet naive and trusting, would be prey for the manipulations and cunning of Catra. He found this thought unacceptable.

Against his better judgement, he trusted Entrapta instinctively. She had earned his trust with her willingness, no, eagerness to assist him in his portal-building work with no other reason than simply the furthering of her scientific knowledge. She had freely offered her impressive mind and skills to him, asking nothing in return other than the satisfaction of being involved in a major scientific endeavour. But Catra, she always sought after something: favour, promotion, recognition, validation. No doubt by befriending Entrapta, she had hoped to use the technologically-gifted princess to her advantage, to provide her with weapons and knowledge that would aid her rise in the Horde. But now that Entrapta was spending her time assisting him, Catra would no longer have use for her, hence why she was now ignoring her. Did Entrapta even realise any of this yet?

He was conflicted. He wanted Catra punished and removed, banished to Beast Island in Shadow Weaver’s place, no longer able to intrude on his private activities and weave more lies, but Entrapta wanted her spared, to still keep her in the Horde. Entrapta had objective reasoning for it of course: Catra’s effectiveness as his Second-in-Command, her ability to retrieve First Ones’ Tech for their portal. Her evidenced and logical arguments were difficult to ignore. It was frustrating that she was always so well-reasoned and difficult to disagree with. But he suspected that she was also partly motivated by her ‘friendship’ with the feline woman and a desire to see no harm come to her, despite her avoidance of Entrapta in recent times. Entrapta’s wishes were in direct conflict with his own. This should not have been a problem. Since when had he cared about someone else’s wishes?

But he needed her on his side. He needed her continued assistance and…her support.

Hordak groaned. His fists clenched. He heard Entrapta’s soft sigh of resignation; saw her swinging swiftly away on her hair, shoulders drooped, mask down over her face; saw the data pad she had dropped on the table, again and again. Why did this bother him so? Why was he unsettled seeing Entrapta unhappy? Ever since their disagreement over Catra that had ended with her leaving him abruptly in the Sanctum, he just had not felt right. His chest was tight with discomfort.

To his chagrin, he realised that he was concerned about Entrapta’s feelings. Had he upset her deeply? Would she ever speak to him in the same way again? Had he mishandled her? Been too quick to reject her opinion on Catra? Would she think less of him now for his…he refused to call it stubbornness…unwillingness to listen? This did not sit right with Hordak. He found, to his grudging acceptance, that he was not content to simply leave Entrapta in an unhappy state. It was making him unhappy too, even though he was certain of his judgement of Catra, that she was untrustworthy and problematic.

He heard movement on the table to his side and turned to see his small winged spy creature, Imp, lifting Entrapta’s abandoned data pad so that the screen displaying the line of First Ones’ code that she had translated as meaning ‘portal’ was facing him. Imp let out a little hiss and looked down at the screen then back up again at his master expectantly.

Hordak sighed defeatedly and dropped his gaze to the floor.

“I must speak with her,” he said quietly after a delay.

He turned and headed for the Sanctum doors.

He recalled what Entrapta had said earlier, that there was a First Ones’ signal coming from The Crimson Waste that could be related to portals. But The Crimson Waste was a barren wasteland, nobody would survive there. Maybe…he could send Catra there as punishment after all. It would be highly unlikely that she would find anything out there, and even more unlikely that she would ever return. She would still essentially be banished. It would be a fool’s errand that she would never return from. She would still suffer punishment as he had intended and Entrapta would be appeased by the fact that Catra was being given a chance at survival and returning to them…a very slim chance of course. It was a compromise.

As the doors opened, he paused momentarily at the doorway. He rarely left his Sanctum, he rarely needed to. Normally, he left it to his Force Captains to handle matters outside of these walls. It occurred to him that now, after so long, he was only compelled to set foot outside of his private domain for a reason he would never have predicted: to salvage his partnership with a former Rebellion princess, a princess who had somehow become invaluable to him.

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

After emerging from his Sanctum, Hordak had grabbed the first Horde soldier to cross his path: a scrawny, dull blonde-haired teenage boy.

“State your name, Cadet,” Hordak barked at the scrawny boy.

The scrawny boy, surprised and shocked to see the Horde leader in person outside of his Sanctum, stuttered clumsily, “Kyle!...I’m Kyle…Lord Hordak, Sir!”

“Do you know where Princess Entrapta’s room is located, Cadet Kyle?” Hordak interrogated.

Kyle nodded dumbly. “I…I…helped to transfer her things from the kingdom of Dryl before.”

“Then lead me there,” Hordak ordered, advancing on Kyle.

Kyle stood paralysed with fear.

“Immediately!” Hordak snapped in irritation. Why was this cadet so slow?

“Err, right this way, Sir!” Kyle suddenly responded, jumping into action.

As Cadet Kyle had led him down the Fright Zone’s corridors, Hordak had stridden with intent and purpose, ignoring the various surprised Horde soldiers he passed who had frozen and saluted automatically at the sight of him. But when he finally reached the door of Entrapta’s room, he hesitated to raise his fist to knock.

Instead, he threw a commanding glare at Kyle that caused the scrawny teenager to shrink back. “Cadet Kyle, you may announce my presence to the Princess,” he stated, crossing his arms.

Kyle looked at his commanding leader in dumb confusion, pointing at himself questioningly. “Me, Sir?” He glanced nervously at the door of Entrapta’s room, recalling his previous terrifying encounter with her uncontrollable technology when he had been left alone to aid her in setting up her new laboratory.

Hordak, impatient, tapped a talon on his folded arm and growled at him. Kyle swallowed and promptly knocked on Entrapta’s room door.

“Who is it?” came Entrapta’s voice.

“Err, Princess Entrapta, um, Lord Hordak is…here to see you!” Kyle stammered, glancing nervously at Hordak behind him.

There was a pause.

“I’m busy,” came Entrapta’s curt reply.

Hordak felt irritation rising in him. He uncrossed his arms and pushed Kyle aside to stand at Entrapta’s door. “Entrapta, I wish to…speak with you. May I enter?” he said in a low, controlled voice.

“Now’s not a good time,” Entrapta answered.

Kyle backed away as he observed Hordak’s growing irritation at the unseen princess. The Horde leader was bristling now, clenching his hands into fists, his pointed ears razor-sharp and his red teeth grinding as he glared furiously at the closed door.

“Entrapta, it is **vital** that we speak, NOW!” he growled out.

He took deeper inhalations through his nasal cavity to calm himself down. He had to suppress it. He did not want to lose his temper at Entrapta again. He could not jeopardise his objective to…’repair’…his partnership with her. He had to keep himself in check.

Kyle, watching fearfully from the side, meekly spoke up. “Err, Lord Hordak, Sir?” He gently pressed his hands together and looked up at Hordak suggestively. “Maybe if you…try saying ‘please’?”

Hordak threw the boy a displeased glare, causing him to cover his face with his arms instinctively, but then Hordak uttered:

“Entrapta…please.”

There was another pause. Then the door slid open. Hordak looked back at Kyle in momentary disbelief. A little smile appeared on Kyle’s face and, without a word, he turned and left. Hordak silently made a mental note to remember Cadet Kyle’s name and face.

Cautiously, he stepped into Entrapta’s room, taking in the messy contents. Lab equipment lay around randomly and wide bin containers were piled high with metal junk. Small computer screens stood to one side and a standard-sized bed on the other side. The place struck Hordak as too small for lab use. Perhaps he should have Entrapta relocated to a larger room?

Then he spotted her, welding mask down, sat with her back to him at a table, engaged in tinkering with something. He cautiously walked up to her.

“What are you doing here, Hordak?” she asked tonelessly.

Hordak stopped behind her. He raised a hand over her shoulder, but then retracted it.

“Entrapta, would you face me?” he calmly requested.

She stopped what she was doing and swivelled round in her rotating chair. Her welding mask still covered her face.

“I would like to address you…face to face,” Hordak stated.

There was a pause before Entrapta lifted her mask up with a hair strand. She looked up at Hordak, expression unreadable. He cleared his throat.

“I have…been considering your earlier suggestion about…Catra,” he began awkwardly.

Entrapta continued looking up at him unreadably.

“I…believe there may have been some…merit…in your idea,” he continued uncomfortably, “and upon reconsideration, I have decided to implement your suggestion...and send Catra to The Crimson Waste to retrieve First Ones’ Tech for us.”

He waited. Entrapta said nothing still, her bright magenta eyes still studied his face. Hordak became disconcerted. Was she still upset? Had he already damaged their partnership beyond repair?

Then a small smile manifested on her lips. She slid off her chair and stepped tentatively up to Hordak. Slowly, she encircled him with her hair, wrapping her lilac strands around his torso and drawing herself into him in a gentle hug. She closed her eyes.

“Thank you, Hordak,” she murmured, “for listening to me.”

There was a moment of hesitation, then finally Hordak brought his arms around Entrapta’s head and shoulders.

“You’re welcome,” he murmured back.

It was the first time they had held one another. It felt…warm…and right. As his hand rested over her dainty head, he had the urge to stroke her long lilac hair, but he resisted this. Then Entrapta’s eyes opened and they both released one another, stepping back. Neither said anything for a few seconds and they averted their gazes from one another.

Then Hordak broke the silence, audibly clearing his throat. “I have called an assembly to announce Catra’s punishment this evening. You may attend it with me and hear ‘our’ joint decision on her.”

Entrapta beamed up at him again and nodded. “I’d like that.”

“Then let us return to the Sanctum and prepare.”

He lifted an elbow to Entrapta and she brought her hand to rest in the fold of his arm. Together, hand in arm, they exited her room.


	8. Saying Thank You

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hordak finds a way to express his gratitude to Entrapta after she creates his new armour.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy Halloween readers! Thank you for all the gracious comments and kudos! Appreciated as always!
> 
> This one is set during season 3, after episode 2. After receiving his new armour from Entrapta, Hordak is compelled to find a way to thank her properly. I've been taking influence from a certain classic Disney movie for a number of chapters in this series, but particularly for this one. Enjoy!

Hordak stood tall before a mirror and looked his reflection over. The armour looked impressive. He admired the craftsmanship of it, the sleek lines, the powerful arms, the broad chest and shoulder plating, all perfectly moulded around his body. It made him appear larger, stronger. He **felt** more powerful than he had in a long time. He smiled.

His vision came to rest on the diamond-shaped dark fuchsia-coloured power crystal at the centre of his collarbone. He studied the First Ones’ language written on it, a line of strange symbols running down it. He did not know what it meant, but it reminded him of the one who had made this fine armour for him: Entrapta.

Despite his attempts to push her away, she had seen his physical defects, his crumbling body, his shameful weakness that he had carefully concealed from all. She had actually touched him, held him in her hair and…she had not been repulsed by him…or mocked, taunted, pitied or rejected him. She had only wanted to find out more about him, listened to his story and…helped him...encouraged him...healed him…in both body and mind. Her First Ones’ Tech-powered armour had boosted his fragile body, given him strength, given him a new lease on life.

She had told him that there was no shame in needing help, told him that there was value in failure, shown him by her own example that failures in life did not have to mean giving up. These were revelations that contradicted every belief and code that he had ever lived by. He had been programmed to believe that failure was shameful, it was weakness, it was to be prevented at all costs. Soldiers had to be successful in missions, they had to achieve objectives, they had to win. Losing was unacceptable, failure was unacceptable. But…to her, these codes did not apply. To her, failure was valuable, vital to learning and development, and imperfections…were unique and beautiful.

He closed his eyes. In his mind’s eye, he saw her again, smiling softly, magenta eyes glistening, long lilac hair spread out like wings above her head, radiant under the falling lights and sparks…and he heard her words again…

_“Imperfection is beautiful…at least to me.”_

For a moment, he felt his heart expanding, and a foreign feeling throughout his being: happiness. He could not help but smile wider. She had seen something in him that no-one else ever had: a beauty in his…imperfections. Had she actually thought he was…beautiful?

She had given him something precious along with the new armour she had crafted for him, something that washed over the self-doubt and loathing he had suffered for so long: she had shown him that he was **not** a defect, **not** a failure! That he had worth!

He owed her more than he cared to openly admit. She deserved more than the paltry words he had offered her:

_“Errrr, no matter what you say, you are NOT a failure! Any who discount you are UTTER fools!”_

He opened his eyes and looked at his face, white and thin. It was not much to admire. He brought his hand up to the top of his head and ran his talons sideways through his dark blue hair, loosening the strands and allowing them to fall to one side, a couple of strands at the front falling over his forehead. He usually raked his hair back along his head, creating a controlled and intimidating style, but now he wanted something different: to look good…for her. He turned his head both sides to inspect the effect of his sideways-swept hairstyle and finally nodded at himself in approval.

“I like being friends with you too.” 

He turned, more quickly than he would have liked, at the sound of Entrapta’s voice. When he did not immediately see anyone behind him, his gaze fell downwards and he saw only Imp, little mouth open, having replayed a recording of Entrapta’s voice from the previous day. Hordak scowled at his little creature. Imp only cackled wickedly and scurried off.

His smile slowly returned and, after one final sweep of himself in the mirror, Hordak proceeded to exit his rest chamber. Today, he had a special plan to enact, one that would hopefully produce the desired result of pleasing his lab partner.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

He found Entrapta hunched over a piece of portal equipment when he entered the Sanctum. She was immersed in inspecting it and did not notice his entry.

Gently, he approached her and stopped a short distance from her. He leaned against a work table and folded his arms, presenting himself from what he thought to be his best angle of view.

“Entrapta,” he stated calmly, belying a strange nervousness he felt in the pit of his stomach.

She stopped what she was doing and spun round to face him.

“Hordak!” she greeted happily.

The happiness with which she had greeted him and which her whole body exuded was contagious. Hordak felt an elevation rising in his chest as well at the sight of her.

On legs made of her long hair, she crossed the short distance between them and stopped in front of him. She looked up at him and tilted her head to one side.

“Your hair looks nice,” she commented.

Hordak’s smile grew. She had noticed.

Her eyes dropped and swept over his new armour inquisitively. She reached forward and gently pressed a gloved hand onto his plated chest, tapping a testing finger on it.

“How’s it been holding up?” she asked, her hair sliding under his arms and raising them for her to inspect further. Hordak did not resist her touch. “Any issues? Discomfort?” She slid under his raised arm and lightly stroked the cables running along his side with a hair tip. He held his breath as he watched her.

“It has been running…,” he began to answer, then he felt her moving hair brush against his exposed skin below the cables, “…smoothly.” He willed himself not to react to her touch.

Seemingly unaware, Entrapta continued rambling, circling him to complete a full body inspection. “It should enhance your physical strength as well as provide support and protection for your body, but there may be a few minor issues with the circuitry to work out. They may be sensitive to strain and exertion. I would advise you to go easy first whilst you get used to the armour and see if anything triggers overload on the circuits.” She finished her inspection of his armour and came to sit on her hair in front of him again.

“I will take your advice on board,” Hordak responded, lowering his arms and glancing down at them in satisfaction, “though I…do feel stronger than I did previously.” He looked up at Entrapta again with a sly smile as he clenched his fists in a mock display of strength.

Entrapta nodded, returning his smile. “I’m glad I could help you, Hordak.”

There was a pause. They gazed at one another, unmoving. Then Entrapta began to turn away.

“Anyway, we should get back to the portal work,” she started. “I’ve had a few more ideas on…”

She suddenly felt Hordak grab her arm. She turned around to look at him, glancing from his hand around her arm to his face.

“You…have helped me, Entrapta,” he repeated in a low tone, “…in more ways than one.”

Slowly, he brought himself closer to her, taking her hand in his own. Entrapta watched him curiously.

“I…have yet to…properly express my gratitude to you,” he said with some difficulty.

Entrapta smiled gently at him. “I know, Hordak. You don’t have to…”

“But I do,” Hordak interrupted. He tightened his hand around hers. “Entrapta, there is something I would like for you to see.”

Her eyebrows rose in interest. “What is it?”

Hordak stepped backwards and began to lead her with him. “A surprise.”

She raised one eyebrow and tilted her head. “Intriguing. Will I like it?”

Hordak flashed his red fangs in a grin. “I think you will.”

He led her through another set of doors into a dark room. It was pitch black.

“Hordak, I can’t see a thing!” Entrapta exclaimed as he led her slowly into the darkness.

“Patience, you will,” he responded.

Then the doors closed behind them, submerging them in complete darkness. Entrapta clutched Hordak’s hand a little tighter.

“Do not fear, Princess,” he reassured, his red eyes glowing in the darkness. Then they stopped. “Wait here.”

He released her hand and she heard him moving away and grabbing something metal.

“Ready?” he asked.

“Yes,” she replied a little nervously.

There was the sound of a lever being pulled. Suddenly, the room lit up with numerous holographic projections. A dark sea of galaxies, planets and stars filled the expanse of the room, large and twinkling. Entrapta gasped, her eyes widening in awe.

“Behold,” Hordak announced with a grand sweep of his arm, “I present to you the Universe.”

Her mouth was agape and her eyes glittered. “Hordak, it’s…it’s…breath-taking…”

He looked at her, captivated. “Yes…yes, it is…,” he exhaled.

A delicate sound began to fill the air then, catching Entrapta’s attention. It was a strange alien tune, haunting and beautiful to her ears.

“Music?” she thought aloud.

Hordak nodded as he approached her. He came to a stop in front of her and extended his hand. “Princess Entrapta, may I…have this dance?”

Entrapta looked at him, surprised. “You want to dance with me?”

Hordak nodded again.

Entrapta’s shoulders tensed and she fidgeted a little.

“I’ve never been asked before,” she mumbled, looking down briefly.

“Then it pleases me to be the first,” Hordak said with a smile, open hand waiting.

Tentatively, Entrapta placed her hand in his and he grasped it.

“I’ve observed the other princesses doing this at Princess Prom,” she began to mumble. “I suppose I could attempt to replicate the movements. It seems to be a simple process of…”

“Entrapta,” Hordak said, cutting off her nervous rambling, “just follow my lead.”

He pulled her into him with surprising grace and held one arm out along with hers, clasping her hand in his talons. His other hand came to rest on the small of her back whilst her arm rested on top of his. She settled cautiously, but elegantly into his hold and they began to move. It started slow. They swayed gently first. Hordak allowed his partner to get used to crossing her legs over one another as they moved in a line.

“This is a surprising, but intriguing finding,” Entrapta remarked as they swept across the floor.

Hordak quirked a brow. “Oh?”

She grinned. “I had no idea you knew how to dance!”

He smirked. “I know a great many things...from many worlds.”

Gradually, their pace quickened as Entrapta grew more confident in her steps. Hordak swung his arm out and twirled her around. She laughed as she spun, her long hair tails swinging around her. Hordak’s ears twitched at the sound of her laughter. He pulled her back into him again and they spun together. His hands went to the sides of her waist and he picked her up, lifting her above his head and turning her around in his arms before placing her down again. They continued moving together in circles and, as he held her, she leaned her head into his chest and smiled happily. Hordak looked down at her, surprised, mouth falling open.

As the music slowed and dropped in volume, their dance also slowed and their steps transitioned into a walk. He led her by the hand to sit down on some cushions on the floor. They made themselves comfortable, Entrapta sitting cross-legged, leaning on her arms in front of her, and Hordak lounging lazily with one leg bent upwards, arm resting on top of it, and the other leg lying extended along the floor. They panted gently from their exertions. Entrapta looked up dreamily at the planets and stars again. Hordak focused on her.

“Hordak…that was…**amaaazing**!” she uttered breathlessly. She turned to him with the biggest of smiles. “Thank you so much!”

She inched closer to him and, before Hordak could blink, she leaned forward and planted a chaste kiss on his cheek. Then she lay back onto his chest, closed her eyes and sighed contentedly. Hordak looked down at her incredulously, smiling like a fool. After a moment, he brought his arm down to rest around her waist. His other hand stroked a few loose strands of her hair away from her face. He relaxed as well.

Under transparent celestial bodies and supernovas, they lay together, losing track of time.


	9. Abandoned

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Post-season 3. In the aftermath of the portal's activation, Entrapta awakens in an unfamiliar place, alone and abandoned once again.

Her eyes fluttered open, then squeezed shut. She tried to move, but found that her whole body ached, especially her back. It felt raw and sensitive. She groaned in pain, tightening her arms and legs. It was cold and damp beneath her. The smell of earth rose into her nostrils.

Then Entrapta’s eyes flew open.

She was lying on grass. There were trees in the distance. A strong breeze swept over her body, making her shiver. With some effort, she pushed herself to sit up, leaning on an arm. She took stock of her surroundings. She was encircled by trees, sitting in a grassy clearing. Was she in a forest of some kind? How did she get here?

Her hand went to her head. Images flashed through her mind: Hordak, the Portal machine, She-Ra’s sword, Adora, Scorpia, Catra…

_“I don’t care what it takes, we are opening that portal NOW!”_

_“NO! I won’t! I need to tell Hordak! He’ll understand!”_

Something had hurt her. Hurt her badly.

She touched her back and winced. It was sore. Catra. Had she…knocked her out with a stun baton?

_“When you and Hordak built the portal machine…”_

_“Remember…I…remember…Hordak…we were friends…then Catra…Oh…I’m not really here…”_

_“It was nice being friends with you.”_

Images of a vivid dream…being back in her lab at home in Dryl, among her familiar robots. Never having left. She had been researching the opening of a portal…Adora, Bow and Glimmer had been there…another reality…but it wasn’t real. When Adora had said his name…Hordak…she had remembered him…smiling at her, shielding her with his body, working together, helping him, touching him…She remembered her hands becoming transparent, fading as her lab crumbled around her. She remembered telling Adora how to close the portal…to go to the source…bidding her farewell…as a friend.

The portal had been opened. Despite her last attempt to stop Catra from doing it, she had succeeded. The result had been the shattering of reality, creating the strange alternate reality that they had existed temporarily in, another reality that had seemed without complication and pain, a so-called ‘perfect’ version of reality. But now that she was no longer in that ‘perfect’ reality, it meant that Adora, or She-Ra, had successfully closed the portal now.

She looked around again. Yes, this was not her lab in Dryl anymore. She definitely had to be back in normal reality again. But how long had she been out? And more importantly, where was she now? It wasn’t the Fright Zone, she was sure of that. There were trees and shrubs. Was she in the Whispering Woods?

She picked up the calls of strange birds from the trees, saw movement in the branches. She caught a glimpse of something with wings and tail feathers disappearing into the leaves. The trees looked unfamiliar, towering and exotic. Vines and strange fruit hung from branches. This did not seem like the Whispering Woods. Had Catra knocked her out and sent her to a strange forest?

Entrapta tried to think again. Catra had wanted her to open the portal. She had refused, it was too dangerous, wanted to tell Hordak, sudden overwhelming pain, then nothing. The data had been wrong. Catra…was **not** her friend.

She shook her head as if to clear it of haziness. If Catra had sent her to this strange forest, had anyone tried to stop her? Where was Scorpia? She had been with her just before Catra had arrived…She must have seen what happened…Did she try to stop Catra? Was Scorpia still her friend? Was…Hordak? Hordak…did he even know what happened? Surely, he must have noticed her absence by now. Was he looking for her?

Or what if…he had just forgotten about her during the portal’s activation? Making contact with his superior, Horde Prime, had been his primary goal after all. That was the only reason he had been so invested in the portal work to begin with. It had never really been about…their time together. But…she had **wanted** it to be. She had **really** wanted their time working together to last longer. She had wanted to slow things down at the end when she realised that Hordak would have to leave after he made contact with Horde Prime…

_“But there’s still so much data we could collect! What’s the rush? We’ll just keep working on it until it’s perfect.”_

Too many questions. Too much uncertainty. Entrapta hugged herself. She was sure of only one thing now: she was alone and…abandoned…again. The other Princesses had left her behind once before and now, seemingly, so had her new ‘friends’ in the Horde…

Everything shut down. Her world collapsed and she crashed back down sideways into the grass. She wrapped herself in her long hair as tears began to fill her vision. She shook as she began to sob quietly. Bringing her knees into her body, she curled up into a ball and began rocking herself.

She had been stupid, gullible…Why had she trusted Catra so easily? Why had she trusted anyone? Catra had said it right from the beginning: she wasn’t like the other princesses and now it was clear…she wasn’t like the Horde either. She was…different…from everyone. It should have been obvious really. Of course, she would never fit in with anyone. Of course, they would all eventually leave her behind. People only kept her around because she was useful to them, but once she outlived her usefulness, they dropped her. It was logical…inevitable. The Princesses had wanted her for her technological skills and inventions, Catra had used her knowledge and skills too to gain recognition in the Horde, and Hordak…he finally got his portal with her assistance, even a new armour…

Her tears fell faster down her cheeks at the thought of him. Her eyes stung. She began to choke on her sobs. She pressed her face into her arms, to stem the flow of tears, to press back the pain and the hurt.

They had been friends…He had opened up to her about his past…They had made something that broke the boundaries of Etheria together. But now where was he? Could he have forgotten her so easily?

For a while, she lay crying and shaking in the grass, cocooned in her long lilac hair. But then, abruptly, she stopped rocking herself and her hands balled into fists.

There were only two things left that she could trust now: science and herself.

She wiped the tears from her eyes with the sleeve of her glove and took a few deep breaths to calm herself. When she had composed herself enough, she sat up again and slowly rose to her feet.

She would do what she had always done. Pick herself up. Keep going. Never give up. Learn from failures. Failure was what led to improvements in all her experiments after all. She would learn from her mistakes and become better. She would rely on herself again. Her face hardened into an expression of determination. Yes, she would not give up now. She would survive this and emerge stronger than before.

She reached into a back pocket in her coverall trousers. Yes! She still had her audio recorder. She brought it to her lips and pressed a button.

“Unknown location, Day 1. I am no longer in the Fright Zone. I have awoken to find myself in unfamiliar surroundings. It appears to be a strange forest. I am alone. There is no-one else here, except for some local wildlife. Requires further exploration. I will observe and gather more information.”

As she finished speaking, a large shadow fell over her. She looked up to the sky. The silhouette of a great flying creature blotted out the moons. It released an ear-splitting cry and suddenly began to descend. It was descending fast. It was going to fall into…

Entrapta ran and leapt for cover into the nearby trees as the large winged creature crashed into the clearing where she had been. It threw up a wall of grass and dust as it hit the ground hard. Another ear-splitting cry emanated from its jaws.

She peeked out from behind a tree. The winged creature appeared reptilian with four legs and clawed feet. Its skin was scaled and a dull green colour. Its head was pointed at the back. It was easily larger than a human in size. Its wingspan was an impressive length and consisted of skin membrane stretched between long wing bones. Entrapta watched it in fascination. She thought it was majestic. But…something was wrong. It was behaving erratically, tossing its pointed head about and thrashing one of its wings. Was it in…distress? Pain?

Entrapta cautiously stepped out from the trees, arms held up in a placating gesture, and approached the giant creature. “Hey there, Big Fella!”

The giant creature screamed out at her. Entrapta stopped, arms still held up.

“Easy! Easy! I’m not going to hurt you,” she said soothingly.

She waited for the creature to settle. Then slowly, she approached it. She held out one hand. The creature jerked away. Entrapta paused and looked it calmly in the eyes. She held her hand out again and, this time, the creature did not resist as she gently laid her hand on its snout. The creature stilled, watching her.

As she gently stroked the creature’s snout, Entrapta scanned its body. Her eyes came to focus on the wing that was twitching. Then she saw the source of the creature’s distress: a long piece of metal that had become embedded in its wing bone. Slowly, Entrapta raised herself on her long hair up to the metal irritant.

“Looks painful,” she said sympathetically. “Maybe I can help.”

She grasped the long metal piece with both hands and pulled. With a burst of strength, she freed the metal piece from the creature’s wing. The creature let out a cry of pain and instinctively jerked its wing back. Entrapta fell backwards with a startled cry, landing on the grass again. As she pushed herself up, she felt something rubbing her shoulder. She turned to see the creature nuzzling her with its scaly mouth, a deep rumbling emanating from its wide chest. She smiled and petted the creature’s snout.

“I bet that feels much better,” she chuckled lightly.

She stood up and looked around herself at the trees again.

“I don’t suppose you know your way around here?” she asked absently.

The creature nudged her gently and she rubbed its snout.

“Maybe we can be friends,” she remarked. “I should give you a name. I’m going to call you, umm…Tyro!”

To Entrapta’s surprise, ‘Tyro’ laid its head flat onto the ground before her.

“Are you…wanting me to get on you?” she asked curiously.

When Tyro did not move, Entrapta slowly climbed onto it, holding onto its pointed head. Before she could say anything, Tyro spread its wings and pushed up into the air. Entrapta half screamed and half laughed as she rode her new friend above the trees.

The Rebellion and The Horde were a world away. Wherever she was now, she was going to make the most of it. Things were looking up already, quite literally.

Princess Entrapta of Dryl had never been one to quit at failures. No matter how many times things broke or blew up, she always kept learning from her mistakes, kept trying again and again until she got things right, until she made things better, until she got all the answers she needed. These were her strengths: embracing failure and never giving up. And Etheria had yet to realise the true extent of her power.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For those who have seen the relevant episode of the original She-Ra cartoon series, ‘Tyro’, or the Tyrosaur, was the flying creature that the old She-Ra befriended in a similar fashion after assisting it with healing its wing. For some reason, I can just see Entrapta being good with animals as well as robots because they’re both simpler to understand than humans.
> 
> Not sure how much this fic will fit in with what the imminently approaching season 4 of the show has in store for us, but I thought it’d be a cool idea to see Entrapta thriving on Beast Island and even emerging from it a changed, but stronger woman.
> 
> There’s one more final chapter to come, but it’ll be a little more mature due to some darker elements. Look out for it in another couple of days!
> 
> Thanks again to all who have been following this series! Appreciate all the kudos and comments!


	10. Monster

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Post-season 3. In Entrapta's absence, Hordak finds himself face-to-face with his darkest fears. 
> 
> This one gets **dark**! You have been warned!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is the final fic of my ‘Moments’ series. Please be aware this one contains more **mature** content. Another post-season 3 fic. Hordak feels the loss of Entrapta in unsettling ways…
> 
> **Warning**: This chapter does get dark and contains horror elements with blood and sexual undertones. If you’re squeamish about those, do NOT read this chapter!
> 
> Without further ado, enjoy!

Hordak found himself wandering into his throne room, ascending the stairs, coming to a stop before his empty throne. He watched more than felt himself moving. He was numb, a feelingless shell moving on two sluggish legs.

The throne awaited. But he did not feel like sitting down in it. His red gaze shifted to the armrest…the one that Entrapta used to perch on as she updated him on her portal work progress…

He dropped suddenly to his knees at the foot of his throne. He reached out with a hand and laid it on the armrest, gripping it.

She was gone. He couldn’t believe it. After everything they had accomplished together…how could she just leave him? How could she…betray him? They had spent so much time together in his Sanctum, building the portal. He had wanted her there beside him when it was ready to be activated. But…she had just…disappeared. No goodbye. It was so sudden. One minute, she had been there, her hair holding his shoulder, the next…she was gone.

Hordak gritted his red teeth. His talons scratched into the throne’s armrest.

He hated himself for admitting it…but he mourned her loss. Her absence felt like it had left a hole in his chest. She might as well have raised a gun to him, at least he would have seen her one last time then…But…she had left nothing…without a word. Why?

_“You know why.”_

A sinister voice echoed in his ears. It sounded like…

“Prime…,” Hordak whispered hoarsely, looking up into shadows.

_“You know why she left you.”_ His emperor’s voice was smooth, like velvet. _“For the same reason I sent you to die, Little Brother...”_

He growled, squeezing his eyes shut.

_“Because you are…a **defect**…”_

“NO!” he snarled. He covered his ears with his hands.

_“Oh, Little Brother, you poor deluded, defective clone…”_

“I am **not** a defect!” he rumbled. “She…saw my **worth**!”

Horde Prime’s dark laughter erupted around him.

_“She saw your **weakness**! Your **failing** body, your pitiful **dependence** on others, your **need** of her!”_

Hordak was bent on all fours on the floor now, his fists clenching.

_“And you fell right into her trap, you gullible, sentimental **fool**!”_

“No more…,” he croaked, his head hanging between his shoulders.

_“Did you honestly think that she would like a shrivelling walking **corpse** like you?”_

“Stop…,” Hordak uttered, desperate.

_“Look at you. To think you were once my top General. I made you in my faultless image: intelligent, strong, powerful. You are a waste of my gifts. How you disappoint me, Little Brother.”_

“Prime…have mercy…,” he pleaded weakly.

_“Pathetic, worthless, a poor imitation of **my perfection**!”_

He shook his head. His whole body quaked. He curled himself inwards.

_“What she saw in you…was nothing but a dying husk of a man…**a lifeless monster**!”_

Suddenly, Hordak’s bright red eyes snapped open and he threw himself up, his hands clenching into fists at his sides.

“SHUT UUUUP!” he roared at the darkness.

Silence.

He heaved from his exertions, his chest and shoulders rising and falling.

The rustle of something approached from behind. He lifted his head.

“Hordak?” came a familiar female voice.

He whirled around abruptly, raising one knee from the floor.

From the shadows behind him, a small woman on long legs of lilac hair emerged.

“ENTRAPTA!” Hordak cried, all sense of control lost from his voice.

There she was, long hair stretching out toward him, magenta eyes sparkling, beaming smile. On instinct, he rushed down the stairs from his throne toward her as she came forward to meet him halfway. He grabbed her as soon as she was within reach, wrapping his arms around her petite body. He felt her bring her arms around the back of his neck, her long hair winding around him and binding them together as one. He breathed her in, her scent, her presence, here at long last. He let out a laugh of ecstasy. Her hand began to stroke the back of his head soothingly.

“Shhhh. I’m here, Hordak. I’m here now,” she whispered into his ear, her breath causing it to tingle.

“Entrapta…I…missed you…,” he uttered breathlessly onto her cheek.

“I missed you too,” she murmured.

He pressed his nasal ridge to her pulse point beneath her ear and began to nuzzle her. 

“Mmm…,” she purred consentingly.

Emboldened, he pressed his lips to the back of her delicate jawline and slid them down the side of her neck, pulling down the collar of her dark purple neck band with his teeth as he did. She moaned, leaning her head back and exposing the entirety of her swan-like neck.

“I…need you, Entrapta…,” he murmured against her soft olive skin, so very soft…

His lips trailed to her throat, locating a jugular vein and feeling her subtle pulse.

“I need your strength…”

His mouth opened, exposing his bright red fangs. He slid his tongue out and ran it up her neck. She shuddered under him.

“I need…**your blood**!”

He bit down, hard. His fangs pierced her flesh and the taste of her blood dribbled into his mouth: warm, sweet, intoxicating. She gasped sharply and he felt her hair frizzing around him. He tightened his hold around her, one arm gripping her body to his chest and the other clutching her head to his shoulder, effectively immobilising her as he sucked ravenously at her punctured neck, lines of her fresh blood trickling down from his embedded fangs…

“RAAAGGH!”

Hordak shot up, wide-eyed, gasping for air. He looked down at his arms. They were uncovered, the gaps between his forearm bones visible. He was exposed, without his armour. He immediately scanned his surroundings, breathing rapidly. He was sitting up on his bed in his room. He blinked. It was a dream…just a bad dream. He sunk down on his hard mattress and fought to bring his breathing back under control.

Just a dream…a nightmare…but it was so vivid…

He tasted a sharp flavour on his tongue, something moist, something that was leaking down his chin from the corner of his lips. He brought a finger up to his mouth and wiped it slowly. Glancing down, he saw the back of his finger stained a dark red. He had bitten into his lower lip whilst asleep. Pressing his blood-stained finger back to his lips, he licked the blood off. Then he sighed, threw his thin blanket back and slunk out of bed.

As he stood, he ran a hand absently through his dark blue hair, sweeping it to the side on habit. He suddenly remembered when he had started styling his hair to the side, to look good for…Entrapta. She had liked it.

His red gaze was drawn to a long dark mirror beside him. He looked at his exposed reflection, his white, thin face, his hollow features, his sharp bat-like ears, his blood red eyes and fangs, his frail, wasting body...Horde Prime’s words echoed again:

_“What she saw in you…was nothing but a dying husk of a man…**a lifeless monster**!”_

Snarling, Hordak suddenly slammed his fist onto the face of his reflection, cracking the mirror’s surface and splitting his reflection into several pieces.

_“**Monster**…”_

Multiple red eyes glared back at him from his cracked reflection. He resented himself. He loathed his defective body. Was it any wonder that Entrapta had fled? What would a beautiful **princess** like her have ever seen in a defective **monster** like him? She must have been repulsed at the very sight of him! He had been a fool to believe that she saw anything worthwhile in him! He had let her into his Sanctum and exposed himself to her. He should never have allowed himself to be so vulnerable…

But he truly was a monster. He had criticised her, belittled her, snapped at her, pushed her away, frightened her, used her...He had never been able to offer her anything as much as what she had given him, physically and emotionally. He had needed her much more than she had ever needed him. He had become so reliant on her by the end. She had held him up, kept him going through her offered assistance and encouragement. In essence, he mused bitterly, he had been like a vampire, feeding on her strength and support. She had kept him alive. But now…now that she was gone…he could feel the life she had given him slowly ebbing away, leaving behind only a hollow coldness in his heart.

He shook his head, growling softly. He turned away from his broken reflection. Behind him, he saw the armour she had crafted for him hanging on a stand. He walked up to it, trying to clear his mind of the nightmare, of Horde Prime’s tormenting words, of Entrapta’s throat in his fangs...

He stared at the red Horde insignia on the chest plate of his armour. Then his eyes travelled up to the diamond-shaped crystal that powered the armour at the centre of its collar. He studied its deep fuchsia colour and the mysterious First One’s language engraved in it. It was her hallmark, the only remaining piece of Entrapta he had left. With a sharp intake of breath, he laid his forehead underneath it and touched it with a fingertip, placing his other hand over his heart. Lightly, he stroked it.

Had any of it being real? All the things she had said to him…

_“Imperfection is beautiful...at least to me.”_

Had she meant it? Or was it all just part of her act to gain his trust? It felt strange thinking of her being capable of deceit. She had always been unusually honest and straightforward. She had never seemed to hold anything back from him. He valued that. Was she truly capable of lying? Entrapta and lying. They seemed like foreign concepts to one another. But there was no other explanation for her absence, or for how the princesses got into the Fright Zone just before the portal’s activation…

He bit into his lower lip, causing it to bleed again.

She had betrayed him and left him. Catra had told him so. He should have been angry thinking about her again. But he could not bring himself to hate her. All he could feel now was her absence, her painful, soul-crushing absence. Where was she now, he wondered? Back in Brightmoon with the other princesses? He found this hard to envision as well. Entrapta had never seemed like she would fit in with them. She had even said so. It was one of the reasons he had connected with her, both of them abnormal, abandoned and alone in the world. Was she thinking of him even half as much as he was of her now?

He rested his palm over her crystal in his armour, absorbing its energy like it was a talisman. He squeezed his eyes shut.

“Entrapta…,” he uttered forlornly, “…friend…partner…”

He let his hand drop from the crystal and moved back, taking one more longing look at it, then forced his head to turn away.

She was gone, he thought dispassionately, and she was never coming back. He had to forget her. She had to be dead to him now. He still had his mission to conquer Etheria and crush the Rebellion once and for all. Though the portal had been destroyed, Horde Prime may still have received his signal when it was activated. He may be on his way to Etheria now…

Hordak gritted his teeth. The princesses would be made to suffer as they had made him suffer…He would burn down their kingdoms and watch them break into despair. They would soon know his wrath and he would show them no mercy.

Returning to his bed, he slumped down on the edge of it, long ears drooping. Despite himself, her voice echoed in his mind…

_“I like being friends with you too.”_

Slowly, he leant forward and let his face fall into his open palms. His bony arms quivered. Drops of dark blood seeped out from between his fingers and trickled down the backs of his hands.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wanted to portray Horde Prime as subtle and two-sided in his abuse, as opposed to being an overtly aggressive brute. He comes across to me as potentially very smooth and manipulative in his control, but able to snap quickly to harsher words. I see the early portrayal of Hordak in the first season of the show as the closest representation of what Horde Prime could be like. I imagine him being able to exert control and torment on Hordak with soft taunts and hurtful words, giving favour and rejecting as he sees fit. My belief is that this was what Hordak initially modelled himself on as he built up and governed the Fright Zone on Etheria. It wasn’t until Entrapta’s arrival that we began to see subtle positive changes in Hordak’s character.
> 
> The idea of Hordak being vampiric unsurprisingly came from his bat features. It was something I just wanted to try out. And it seemed fitting given Hordak’s powerful surface appearance but sickly, wasting body. Like the vampire, he is dependent on and needs the strength of others, also whilst contending with his own physical degeneration and emotional wounds from behind his crafted facade of ruthless leader and from within the closed walls of his Sanctum.
> 
> The end could be interpreted in a couple of ways: Hordak crying or having bitten himself again or both.
> 
> So that wraps up this series of ficlets. Big thanks again to all my readers and everyone who left kudos and comments for this series. The new season 4 of ‘She-Ra and the Princesses of Power’ is about to begin on Netflix. I’m stoked for it! Peace out!


End file.
